Out of Tragedy Comes Hope
by sirena1
Summary: Rory is graduating Yale as valedictorian. Her senior year has been riddled with challenges and tragedy. With a life falling in around her, will she accept the help of someone she hasn't seen in years? Or run to keep from pulling him down with her? Lit
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Gilmore Girls fic. I never even dreamed that I would want to write one. I can't normally portray regular people well. I've done Dark Angel, Buffy, Angel, and Harry Potter. So, no normal people as a rule. Anyway, this is a Literati and a Java Junkie, though it centers around the RJ pairing. I hope you enjoy it. Probably one update a week. I'm a college student. How much more can you expect?

Rating: Pg-13 to light R

Title: Out of tragedy…comes hope.

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I profiting from the characters in this fic. It is my plot, but that's all I own. Gilmore Girls belongs to Amy Sherman Palladino.

Summary: At Rory's Yale graduation during her valedictorian speech, she sees someone she never thought she'd see again. Logan is out of the picture for good, Luke and Lorelai are married with two boys. With her world falling in on her, and her life crumbling will Rory accept his help, or run because she doesn't want to pull him down with her?

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"Four years ago, we started this journey as a group." Rory Gilmore looked out at the crowd of her classmates, watching their faces with a keen eye. "And today, we are here, accepting our college diplomas from Yale University. It's been a long time coming. Ladies and gentlemen, parents, friends, professors, family and fellow graduates, my name is Rory Gilmore and it is my pleasure to stand before you today as the valedictorian of the Yale University class of 2007.

"We came here as unknowing freshmen, scared of classes and strangers and leaving home. We met new people, made friends, unfortunately had to leave some others behind. We grew up. We had our hearts broken, we learned what we considered to be useless facts, we discovered who we are. And now, on this day, at our commencement, we are going forth into the world and putting what we have learned to use. We are going on to careers, families, another degree. And as we look to the future, we have no choice but to also look toward the past." Rory took a deep breath, lifted her eyes from her mother's face to scan over the crowd. And she saw him. Standing far in the back, a leather jacket over one arm, smirk on the face she hadn't seen in three years. Her breath caught in her chest, and she nearly forgot where she was. Found she was unable to tear her eyes from his face.

"The past is what has shaped us. What makes us who we are today. Heartache and falling in love for the first time. Learning to deal with situations outside our control, and knowing when to step back and admit we need help. It's realizing that our parents don't know everything, and then realizing that neither do we. It's getting right back up when you've fallen down, be that literally or figuratively and forging on toward the ultimate goal. It's learning to trust our hearts, and not what everyone else says is best for us." Where had that come from? That wasn't part of her speech. Rory grappled for the right place on her index card, found it after a heart stopping second. "It's also learning to realize when we don't know what's best.

"Mom, for the past twenty two years, you have been the one constant in my life. The one person who has always been there for me no matter what happened or how bad the situation was. You were there through the volatile teenage years, the broken hearts, the moments when I felt as if the whole world would crash down on me if it hadn't been for you. You've held me up and kept believing when others would have given up on me.

"Gramma, and Grandpa, you have always been my cheering section. There to pull me up when I couldn't get on my feet myself. You've been there, behind the scenes, ready to give a shove or a kind word, which ever you thought I needed most at the time. For that I am eternally grateful.

"Luke, through the years, you have been more of a father to me than my own. You have been there to give me a shoulder to cry on, a bear hug and a good cup of coffee when the world had turned its back on me. As a stepfather, you are more than any girl could have ever asked for. You make Mom and I so unbelievably happy that words cannot express. And though your advice is more often dispensed with a hard shake then with a kind word, it is nonetheless always appreciated and oftentimes more valuable than the kind word would have been.

"My family is the reason that I am standing here. And as I graduate, I know that the four people I mentioned are more to thank than any professor at this college. Where they taught, my family learned. Where they lectured and graded, family has listened and helped. So, Mom, Luke, Gramma and Grandpa, and one person I can't mention, thank you for bringing me this far. I couldn't have made it without you." Rory smiled for the first time throughout her entire speech. "Thank you."

As Rory made her way off the stage and back to her seat, her eyes met his and he grinned. He knew she was talking about him. She hadn't intended to. It had been completely accidental. She hadn't seen him in years. He didn't belong there. They'd both moved on. Forgotten about one another. Or, at least, she'd thought they had. Apparently she'd been wrong about that. And he knew. That he knew made what had been an extremely embarrassing situation even worse. Had it just been her it would have been bad enough, but to have the person who was responsible for the majority of her heart break know was absolutely humiliating.

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The second she could escape from the people who wanted to comment on her speech or congratulate her, Rory ran into the field where the guests had sat. She shoved past her mother, grandparents, Luke, Sookie, Jackson, even ignored her two brothers, Lucas and Garrett without a word. He was still there. That was all that she could think. He was still there. He hadn't run after the ceremony. He had to have known that she would try to find him after. She deserved an explanation.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Three years had been good to him. He'd grown a couple inches taller, and a few years in maturity. His frame had filled out slightly, and he knew that several of Rory's classmates had already checked him out. The female in question, however, didn't seem to be affected by the fact that he had flown in from California just to see her graduate from college.

"Going to a graduation." He said nonchalantly. "Or hadn't you noticed?"

"Yes, I damn well noticed! It was my graduation!"

"Calm down, Gilmore. It's not a huge deal." He leaned against the wall of a building, crossed his ankles and managed to look like he didn't care what she thought. "Just stopped in to watch an old friend graduate from college. Now, shouldn't you be getting back to your boyfriend?"

"Not a huge, deal! Jess, I haven't seen you in three years! You bust into my dorm room, proclaim your never dying love for me, ask me to run away with you and then I don't hear another word for years! If I hadn't seen you, would you have stayed?" she demanded, and he squirmed uncomfortably.

"Come on, Rory, this isn't the time for this conversation."

"If we don't have it now, we'll both be dead before it happens. You have a bad habit of running out on tough situations rather than sticking around to handle them." Rory knew she was being unfair. She knew that he didn't deserve what she was throwing at him, but she didn't care. She had been hurt badly, and she'd never gotten closure. "You disappeared, Jess! Not a word to me. I was your girlfriend, dammit, and I was in love with you, and you couldn't bother to say 'later Rory, I'm moving to California with my dad, who I haven't seen in eighteen years, but have suddenly decided is so much more important than you?'"

Jess's eyes flashed, but he kept his voice level. "Still holding something I did four years ago over my head, Rory? Haven't you moved on yet? Do you have any idea what my life was like at that moment? Flunking out of school, relationship on the rocks, whole fucking town against you, and your Dad suddenly appears in the picture for the first time ever. Yeah, that was so easy to deal with." His voice lowered half a step. "And you had damn well better know that it wasn't because he was more important than you. It was that I wasn't good enough for you, and I was for him."

Rory couldn't take anymore. She turned and started to run, but found she couldn't. Jess grabbed her wrist and spun her around, gripping her hard around the waist, and bringing her body flush against his. Her breath caught, and held, her hands fisted in her robes, and she could see her mother shoving her way through the horde of graduation attendees. "Let me go, Jess."

But he shook his head. "I'll be damned if I let you walk away from me, Rory. I've let you go far too many times. Yes, I walked. I made a mistake. I'm sorry about it. But I had to put my life on track before I screwed yours up too. You deserved better than a high school drop out. I wanted to finish school, go to college. Do all the things that you believed I could do. And I did." His hand moved from her waist to the back of her neck, but she still couldn't get loose, and Luke had stopped Lorelai from coming any nearer than she was. "I got a GED, worked, went to night school, and took classes online. I graduated last weekend. And as soon as I finished walking across that field, I went home, packed up my things and booked a flight for Hartford."

Rory couldn't speak. She was incapable of words. There were no words for what she was feeling. A rush of things, ranging from joy and pride to hurt and lingering licks of anger. "Why?"

Jess plowed a hand through his hair. "What do you mean, why, Rory? Isn't it obvious? I came back for you!"

Rory managed to get loose. "I can't, Jess. I just really can't. There are things that you don't know. Things that change everything. I'm sorry." She looked up at him with tears shining in her eyes. "I can't tell you how long I've waited to hear you say that. Since the second you left, I think. But this time, Jess, I get to be the one to run away without an explanation. I have to go home."

Jess was helpless to do anything but let her go. He wasn't surprised that Lorelai and Luke soon flanked him. Lorelai slung a deceptively friendly arm around his shoulders. "I am going to warn you once to stay the hell away from my daughter. You aren't doing anyone any favors by coming back here. Not now. Not when she's got so much going on."

"What happened to her?" Jess looked at his uncle, knowing Luke was most likely to give him a straight answer.

"Luke." Lorelai muttered his name, letting him know that he was not allowed to tell Jess. Luke sighed and held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm not getting into it. I'm going to take the boys home, Lorelai and go find Rory."

He was long gone before Lorelai broke the staring contest she'd had going with Jess and realized what had gone on. "Well, hell. How am I supposed to get home?"

Jess was tempted to laugh at the irony of the whole thing. He dangled his keys in front on her. "I rented a car. Come on, I'll take you back to Stars Hollow. I want to go there anyway. And on the way, you're going to tell me what's wrong with Rory."

"What's wrong with Rory is Rory's business."

Jess didn't comment on that. "So where's this boyfriend of hers? Logan?"

Lorelai let a pained look cross her face for an instant. "They aren't together anymore."

"Why?"

Lorelai didn't know why, but as much as she had always hated Jess, she found herself noticing that he really had grown up. That he was more man than boy, and didn't make her nearly as nervous as he had before. "It's a long story."

"I've got time."

"Three months ago, Logan went out and was partying with some of his friends. Nothing new, nothing he hadn't done a thousand times before. God, Jess, I think at times I disliked Logan more than I ever did you. He was irresponsible, unreliable, a terrible influence on Rory. He got her arrested. You, at least, never got her in court. Anyway, he went to her dorm room, drunk. She let him in, tried to sober him up, and as all situations like this go, the ending is cliched, obvious and sad. He raped her. And she was okay. I mean, not like great or anything, but she was dealing with it. He left for a school abroad the next day, and Rory refused to press charges. She said it was a mistake and that she was never going to see him again, and that there was no use in ruining his life for a mistake that he made while he was drunk. She recovered. She's remarkable at moving on with her life, if you haven't noticed. Jess, she's pregnant. She couldn't take the pill because it made her sick, so she always used a condom. He was drunk, didn't use one, and got her pregnant."

Jess's fingers had tightened on the wheel until they were white and devoid of all blood. He hadn't ever been angrier in his entire life than he was at that particular instance. "He left the country?"

"The day after it happened. He probably won't ever come back here."

"Does he know about the baby?"

Lorelai shook her head. "No. Do you think I've lost my mind? I wouldn't let that scum bag within a mile of my daughter and grandchild. Look, Jess, I don't know why I'm telling you this. Maybe it's a mother's desire to see her daughter happy, but you can't give her time with this. At least not more time than you need to think things through. She's got a lot of baggage right now. I don't know how she managed to keep her grades up, and I don't know how she's going to do working at the New York Times. Especially not with a baby on the way and no one to help her. You need to be aware of all the facts and ready to deal with her reality if you want anything to do with her."

Jess looked sideways at Lorelai. "I love her, Lorelai. I loved her when I left her, and I loved her when I came back for her and she slammed the door in my face. I love her now. She's the one person I've never been able to get out of my system. The one person I don't want to get out of my system. She believed in me when no one else did. When no one else would believe I was anything but a juvenile delinquent, she defended me. And she loved me. I owe her everything."

"Don't do this because you owe her something, Jess. And I swear, if you hurt my baby again, you won't walk away from it quite so unscathed because I will come after you, and I will hurt you. I will hurt you badly. Got it?"

Jess nodded. "Got it. Now. Which way to Rory?"

Pleased with what she saw in his face, Lorelai crossed her legs. "Take the next left."


	2. Chapter 2

Rory stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom of Luke and Lorelai's house. The house that she had been staying in every summer and holiday vacation since her junior year of college. The house that they'd found together, and decided to live in as a family. But Rory couldn't stay there, and she knew that. As much as she wanted to, as much as she wanted her mother and Luke, and the familiar surroundings of Stars Hollow, she knew she couldn't. She simply couldn't take the looks of pity she got from most of the residents.

Slowly, holding her breath, and terrified of what she would see, Rory lifted her shirt and peered at her stomach. The baby had made her sick every single day for the past two months, and the sickness was showing no signs of letting up. But, despite all that, she had managed to gain five pounds. She knew that most was in her boobs, but there was a slight protrusion to her abdomen. She found herself strangely upset by that.

Of course, she'd known it would happen. It had to happen. Babies inevitably made you get heavier and rounder, and moodier. But somehow, she'd hoped it would take a lot longer. Because seeing a physical manifestation of the child growing inside her made her think about Logan.

And thinking about Logan wasn't a good thing. Thinking about what he'd done to her, and all those things he'd said while he had been raping her, and everything that she had gone through because of what he had done just made her tear up.

She had found out about her pregnancy early enough that she could have safely gotten an abortion, but for some reason, the moment she'd found out, she'd known that the baby was hers and that she loved it, no matter where it had come from. That it wasn't Logan's baby, it was hers. And that she couldn't have gotten rid of it or given it up had her life depended on it.

But she was twenty two, alone, single and about to become a mother. She had a college diploma still hot off the press, a job waiting in a city where she knew no one, and no way to change her situation. She felt desperate, and again, like the world around her was caving in. And if that wasn't enough, her past had just shown up.

She hadn't gotten a moment to herself in days. Even then, she had escaped to the bathroom, hadn't been in there more than ninety seconds, and already someone was pounding on the door. She yanked her shirt down and bolted from the bathroom. She didn't stop until she was out the front door and well into the woods. She slowed then, but didn't stop walking until she was on the bridge.

Four years after she and Jess had broken up, and it was still the one place that she could honestly think and feel completely at ease. It had been their place, where many of their relationship milestones had taken place. After he'd left, it had become her place, where she went to be alone and think when things got to be too much to handle. Lorelai and Luke were the only two people who knew that she still went there. So, when she heard footsteps behind her, she assumed it was her mother.

"I'm all right, Mom. I'll come back in a few minutes. I just needed a little time by myself."

Jess dropped onto the bridge with her. "I'm not, Lorelai, and I think I'll join you for a bit. Too many little people running around that house."

"What are you doing here, Jess?"

"I drove Lorelai home. She was so busy glaring at me she didn't hear that Luke was leaving and needed a ride. We pulled up just in time to see your little flight, and I thought I'd come see if I could do anything to help."

Rory laid her head in her hands. "Things are so screwed up right now. You want to stay as far away from me as you possibly can. Take my word on that."

Soothingly, Jess rubbed her back. "Your mom told me about Logan." He paused, watched her head slowly come up. "I know about the baby, Rory."

Rory's eyes teared up. She tried valiantly to hold them back, but found that it was impossible. "How did things get so messed up, Jess? Things were perfect. And he just had to get drunk. God, it was so terrible. And now here I am, pregnant and alone. I never thought I'd be the statistic." She let him draw her close, leaned her head on his shoulder. "Why didn't I just go with you? If I'd gone, things would be okay. I wouldn't be here, right now, with my life falling to pieces."

Her words and tears shredded his heart into a million pieces. "Because it wasn't right then. I had to grow up, Ror. I had to find myself and be someone without Rory there. I had to do it on my own for once, and succeed. We'd both hate me if you'd gone with me that night. I loved you before I knew what love was. And that was the problem." He lifted her chin, pressed his lips to her forehead. She wound her arms around his neck and hugged him close, needing the physical contact. "It's cliched, Rory, but I think I'll love you until I die."

Rory sniffled. "How can you love me when I'm pregnant with another man's child, Jess? When I told you no, and Dean and Logan yes? I've screwed up my life more than you could have ever screwed yours up. I have a record, Jess. Logan got me arrested. I dropped out of Yale and moved in with my grandparents. I didn't speak to my mother, and didn't talk to Luke or anyone from town and I had to do hundreds of hours of community service. Oh God Jess, it's so messed up!"

Jess held her and rocked, murmuring words of comfort to her. It tore him up to see her as she was. "It'll be all right, Rory. I promise." He kissed her ear, wasn't oblivious to the shiver that went down her spine. "I'm here, and I love you."

"Do you have any idea how long I waited to hear you say that? You were the first one I said it to." She whispered, holding on to him with all her strength. "And now that the time is right, the situations are terribly wrong. You live in California, and I'm pregnant."

"I don't live in California. I have an apartment in New York. I'm starting work at a record company there managing a couple of bands. I believe Lane is on my list, actually."

He was trying to lighten things up, but it wasn't working. She continued to cry into his shoulder. "I'm still pregnant, though, Jess. That isn't going to change. And when it does, I'll have a baby. There's nothing to be done about that."

Jess pushed her back a few inches, grinned at her. "Hey, you think I'm shallow enough to care that a woman has a kid? Give me some credit here."

"Jess, don't do this, please."

"I can't help it, Rory. I love you, and it doesn't matter to me what your situation is or how screwed up your life seems to be. You need help, and I can help you. I want to help you. Let me help you. Please?"

Rory laid her head on his chest, could feel his heart beating beneath her ear. "I still love you, y'know. I don't think I ever stopped loving you. I don't think I can."

"What's that mean, Rory?"

"It means that if you're sure, then all right. But I want you to be sure, Jess. Absolutely sure. I have a ton of baggage, and a baby on the way. That a good relationship does not make."

"I'm sure, Rory. I want to be a part of your life. I want to help you through this. I don't want to have to think about you every second of every day of the rest of my life wondering what you're doing or who you're with. I want to be the one you're with and know what you're doing and just be wondering when I get to see you next instead of if I'll ever see you again."

Rory was crying again as he spoke, but they weren't hurt tears or desperate tears. She lifted her head and pressed her mouth to his in an urgent kiss. "Thank you. God, I need you Jess."

He knew she didn't mean in the physical sense, which is where his mind automatically jumped for one heart racing moment. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."  
She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his shoulder. "I missed you. After you left that night at my dorm, I missed you, and I worried that I should have gone with you. That I'd just passed up my last chance at anything with you because when you were ready, I was with someone else who I cared a great deal about."

"I know." Jess spoke softly, and she nearly didn't hear him. "It's okay, Rory." He chuckled then, and his breath was warm on her neck as his chest rumbled against hers. It was a good experience. One that told her not everything was terrible. This, this was good. "How much trouble am I going to get in if I ask if I can kiss you now?"

Despite herself, Rory felt her face smile. She lifted her head to look at him. "I don't know how you could want to kiss me right now. My face is swollen and blotchy, my eyes are red, and I've gotten your shirt wet."

He cupped her face in his hands. "I can honestly say, Rory, that there hasn't been a moment since I met you all those years ago, that I haven't really wanted to kiss you."

And having said that, and without waiting for her reply, he kissed her. Slowly, softly, gently. Nothing forceful or rough. There was passion, but it wasn't raw and devouring them like it had during their teenage years. The kiss was more to comfort her. And it had that effect. She relaxed, leaned into him, gave herself over to the kiss.

His mouth played over hers skillfully, his tongue brushed hers, urging her to return the kiss. Hesitantly, she kissed him back, and that was when it changed from something comforting and gentle, to a maelstrom of emotions that swept them both away and that both were helpless to resist.

This was the way it was supposed to be. That was the one thought that Rory could latch onto as he kissed her. The emotions in her were rearing up and devouring her, and she couldn't do anything about it. It felt right. It felt like home. And at that moment, when everything else was so wrong, she had to latch onto what was right in her world. And the only thing that was right, was her past. And her past was him.

She pulled away slowly, laying her forehead against his so that they could still see one another. "My God, Jess, why do you want anything to do with someone as screwed up as I am? How can you look at me, and know that I'm carrying Logan's baby and not hate me after how badly I hurt you?"

Jess met her gaze, and his eyes told her that he was telling the truth. "We hurt each other, Rory. I left you and treated you badly, and all the other things that I did. All you did was tell me no, and after what I had done, I deserved it. Even if I hadn't deserved it, it was your right to say yes or no. Maybe the circumstances aren't great. But come on, when have our circumstances ever been ideal? And it isn't Logan's baby. That baby is completely yours. And it's a part of you. How could I not love something that's part of them woman that I am head over heels in love with?"

Rory felt tears threaten again and she laid her mouth over his and kissed him. His arms came around her, drawing her into his lap, as much to simply hold her as to get more physical contact as they kissed. The kiss wasn't about passion, though there was plenty of that lurking right beneath the surface, it was about comfort, and forgiving each other and themselves.

She kissed him deeply, their tongues tangling slowly. Her hands wove their way into his hair, gripping the silky black strands. She was giving into the passion and he was holding them back. He didn't object when she pressed her body to his, in fact, he would have been very happy to remove the barriers of clothing between them and get her even closer, but neither did he pull her closer. He didn't want the distance between them, but it was too soon to be much closer than they already were.

Slowly, he pulled back from her and kissed her forehead. "We should get back. Everyone will be getting worried soon." He glanced down at the creek, laughed as he saw both of her flip flops floating upstream. "Uh, Rory?"

She looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Didn't you notice that you lost your shoes?"

Her gaze flew to her feet, both of which were bare. "No! Why didn't you say something?"

"Because I just noticed. Come on, we'll take it slow."

Rory let Jess pull her to her feet. She took three steps, hit the gravel and stopped. "Ow." She took another babystep. "Ouch. Jess-"

She was cut off when he bent and scooped her into his arms. "There. This is quicker and less painful for the both of us." She chuckled as he carried her across the gravel to the road. "You're a big baby. Didn't you ever run around barefoot as a kid?"

Rory shook her head. "No. Mom told me if I went outside barefoot that I'd get eaten alive by the purple people eater."

Jess gaped at her for a second, then shook his head. "That's Lorelai for you." He grinned down at her. "You used to be easier to pack around."

Chagrined, she smacked his arm. "Jess!"

"I'm just kidding." He sobered. "I love you, Rory."

She smiled up at him. "I love you too, Jess."


	3. Chapter 3

Lorelai was panicky when she saw Jess carrying Rory up the driveway. She sat her glass on the porch banister, and ran, which was something Lorelai didn't often do, to meet them. "What happened? What's wrong? Is she okay?"

Rory grinned at her mother. "She lost her sandals in the creek." She turned to kiss Jess's cheek. "So Jess was a gentleman and carried me home so I didn't have to walk on gravel."

Lorelai laughed, embarrassing Jess to no end. "Jess, when you get Rory inside, I want my turn to be carried like a princess."

Jess shook his head. "You've got a husband. Get him to cart you around."

He should have known better. Lorelai spotted said husband on the porch and took a running leap at him. He caught her, but was so surprised at the sight of a flying Lorelai that they both fell, though he did break her fall, which was something. Rory giggled as Jess sat her down, and looked at the pile comprised of her mother and step father.

"Well," Rory said primly, knowing that her words would just turn her mother into a whiny three year old. "I guess we know who they like better. I've never been dropped."

Jess rolled his eyes, heaved Lorelai to her feet, then held down a hand for Luke. "Go put some shoes on."

Lorelai looked at Jess and grinned wickedly. "Rory, did you forget that the Stars Hollow Summer Carnival starts bright and early tomorrow morning?"

Rory's whole face lit up. "Ooh. I had forgotten." She grabbed Jess's hand and dragged him inside with her. "So we'll get up at six, and go get coffee, and then we'll be there by eight, and spend all day. They're supposed to have rides this year, and twice as many games, and much, much more food."

Jess smirked. "They'll need it since you and your mom are both here this year."

Rory took that in stride and nodded as she slipped on another pair of flip flops. "Yup. Given the chance, we probably could have eaten them out last year, but we limited ourselves to one day." She tugged on his hand, and pulled his arms around her. "You'll go with me, won't you?"

Jess looked down at her with raised eyebrows. "When have I ever willingly gone to the Stars Hollow Carnival, no matter what season it was?"

Rory grinned. "The last time you went with me."

"No. That wasn't me going willingly, that was you bribing me into going and me wanting to razz Dean about us being together. It worked beautifully, by the way."

Rory slid her arms around his neck. "So how did I bribe you into going?"

He took a half step closer to her. "Well, I believe it went something like this."

The second his mouth closed over hers, all activity in the house ceased. No one moved for several seconds until Rory slowly pulled back from him, her face blood red. Jess glanced around and saw that they were being stared at, then blushed himself. It was several more heart stopping seconds before Lorelai let out a cheer and tackled her daughter. Everyone else in the house followed her lead and started clapping.

Jess leaned against the door frame next to Luke. "Why do I feel as if I'm in a movie?"

Luke lifted his shoulders in a patented shrug. "They want her happy. And they all see that you've grown up." He fixed his nephew with an intense stare. "She's pregnant, Jess. You know that. But I don't think you realize what getting involved with a pregnant woman entails. It isn't about the two of you. There's another, much smaller and more helpless person to consider. And she will put her baby first."

Jess nodded. "I think I can handle cravings and putting together a crib."

Luke actually laughed. "If only it were that and nothing else. Try the morning sickness that lasts until noon everyday with her. The backaches, and the ultrasound pictures, and mood swings, and being three times as emotional. And the cravings of a Gilmore, Jess. There wasn't one day that Lorelai was pregnant that I didn't have to go to the grocery store for something."

Jess sighed. "I love her. And I know that jumping in where we left off, and not taking time to go slow and do everything over probably isn't what people would like us to do. But I don't feel like I ever left, Luke. I look at her, and all I can think about is how lucky I am that someone like her, who's in a situation like hers, can find it in her to take a chance with me."

Luke saw Lorelai finally release Rory and nodded. "That's good enough for me. I know you love her. You have for a long time. But Jess, you have to know that she's going to give birth to another man's child in a few months. Despite the fact that he raped her, and is not going to ever be in the picture, the baby belongs to Logan. You have to think about the role you're willing to take there."

Jess nodded. "I'll take whatever role she wants me to have. But we've got a while to deal with that. Right now, I just want to make her stop crying herself to sleep."

"Lorelai told you about that, huh?"

"Yeah. I want to kill him, Luke. The bastard that did this to her. I want to hurt him more than I've ever wanted to hurt anyone else in my entire life, I think."

"Yeah, well, get in line on that one. You aren't the only one who thinks Logan deserves to be killed. You weren't here when it happened. I saw her come home that night with a bloody face and bruises from head to toe. I was the one who drove her to the hospital. She had me and Lorelai both in the room, and I had to hold her hand while they collected samples, and gave her the emergency contraceptive pill. I had to listen to her cry, and see Lorelai cry with her. Honestly, Jess, Logan is lucky he was on a plane by the time she was released that night, or I would have taken him apart with nothing but my hands."

Jess had never seen his uncle like that. He'd always known that Luke looked at Lorelai and Rory like family, but he'd always thought they were more like cousins, or a favorite niece. He was beginning to realize that Luke thought of Rory as his daughter. "So it was bad?"

"It was worse than bad. Lorelai doesn't like to talk about it at all. She doesn't like to think about it, or remember it." He sighed, looked around to make sure no one was listening. "She got here at about four in the morning. Had driven straight from Hartford. Logan had apparently found out that he wasn't going to have enough credits to graduate this year, even though he was supposed to graduate a year before Rory. He went out with a bunch of his friends, and they got really drunk.

"I guess Logan had a habit of doing stuff like that. He liked to party, and occasionally, he would get smashed. He went to Rory's room, just like he always did apparently, and she tried to sober him up. You know, pour coffee down him, herd him into the shower, try and keep him from tossing his cookies on her carpet. That sort of thing. And he decided that he wanted more.

"Neither of us are children, Jess, and while I still cringe to think about it, we both know that they had been together before. But Rory refused to sleep with him while he was drunk. From what she said, normally he's funny when he's like that. But with not graduating, and being angry, he took it out on her. He knocked her down in the bathroom and she blacked her eye on the corner of the sink. He kicked her a couple times, busted some ribs, nothing broken, but they were bruised badly. He yanked her up by her hair and dragged her into the bedroom. She fought back, Jess.

"She hit him, broke his nose from what I hear, and he busted her mouth, made her crack her head open on the dresser. She got a bloody nose, but not a broken one when he threw her onto the bed and she hit the wall. After that, well, you don't need to gory details, but the bruising was so bad that Lorelai bawled about it for an hour in the hospital. She had to get stitches and counseling, and stay in the hospital for a concussion. And she still wouldn't let us file charges."

Jess looked over towards Rory, who was standing with Lorelai, watching a pot of coffee brew. Their arms were around each other, and Rory was leaning her head on her mother's shoulder. "She looks like she's doing so well."

"She is." Luke said simply. "She really is doing well for what she went through. She doesn't flinch when someone tries to touch her, she isn't depressed all the time, she doesn't hide out or try to deny what happened to her. The only difference between her and a normal woman is the nightmares. She's been staying here since it happened, and it's rare that a night passes without her screaming and waking us up."

"You don't just leave her there by herself do you?"

"No. Lorelai and I go down, Lor comforts her while I perk coffee. They each have a cup, and then we all go back to bed. It's a twenty minute routine, just about every night. Honestly, Jess, Lorelai and I pretty much wake up a minute before she screams so we're halfway there by the time she needs us. I don't know what she's going to do when she moves out next week."

Jess shrugged. "I live in New York, too, Luke."

Luke nodded, started toward the kitchen to help Sookie with dinner. "Good answer. Now, go drag her and Lorelai away from that coffee. Caffeine isn't good for the baby."

Rory heard that last part and looked up. "She's a caffeine addict just like I am."

Lorelai nodded stubbornly. "I drank it every day all three times I was pregnant, and nothing ever happened to my kids."

Luke lifted one eyebrow at his wife. "You've only been pregnant twice. The boys were twins."

"I know. I was kinda there, remember? Fine, I have three kids. I drank coffee while pregnant with all three kids. All three kids are addicted to coffee, but that's the only thing that happened to them."

Luke smiled. "No, Lorelai, you thought you were drinking coffee while you were pregnant with the boys. I switched everyone in Stars Hollow to decaf those nine months. And no one ever knew it."

Lorelai paled considerably and grabbed the coffee can from the cabinet. It didn't say decaffinated. She sighed in relief. Luke took a page out of Jess's book and smirked. Her eyes widened. "You didn't."

He nodded. "Oh, I did. You're still drinking decaffinated."

Luke ducked when Lorelai threw the coffee can at him, and didn't manage to evade when she sucker punched him. "You jackass! How dare you!"

Luke wasn't oblivious to her anger, but he was practically rolling from laughter. "Lorelai, you never even noticed!"

Rory was looking upset as well. "You mean I haven't had caffeine since Mom got pregnant over two years ago!"

Jess saw violence in her eyes, and snagged her hand. "We're going to go down to Taylor's and buy some real coffee right now. Lorelai, hold on for five minutes."

Lorelai was sitting at the table in tears. She nodded. "I'll try, but hurry. I'm near death."

Jess was laughing as he dragged Rory out the door. It was nice to know some things never changed.


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of the day had gone smoothly. Rory and Lorelai had gotten their coffee, and the party had begun. Everyone had stayed until after eleven, and then, exhausted, Rory had collapsed into her bed in the room off the kitchen that had been turned into a bedroom for her two years earlier, Luke and Lorelai had put the boys down, and then gone to bed themselves. Jess had been given the couch, which was fine with him. After what Luke had told him about Rory's nightmares, he wanted to be as close to her as possible. And the living room was closer to her room than anywhere else in the house that a person could comfortably sleep.

But it wasn't her screaming that woke him up. No, she didn't scream. It was her door slamming, and her feet racing across the room simply to leap onto him that woke him up. As soon as Rory landed on him, he was awake, and struggling into a sitting position, confused about what was going on. She was clinging to him and sobbing, and before he even fully realized who it was that was in his lap, he was comforting.

"Rory, what's wrong?"

Rory just shook her head and burrowed into his shoulder, holding on as tightly as she possibly could. "Another nightmare."

He'd figured as much. He stroked her hair gently, shifting her in his lap so that she was more on his chest than his stomach, and kissed the top of her head. "Tell me about it."

"No. I can't."

"Sure you can. That's the best way to get them to stop. Talking about them."

When she sighed and tightened her grip, he knew he had won. "It was almost the same as the rest of them. Logan, and what happened, and then he starts laughing at me, and telling me its all my fault, and that I deserved what I got. And then normally, that's when I scream. Because after he says that, he hits me again, and starts the whole thing over, and the punch is normally enough to wake me up. It didn't this time."

"What happened?"

"He did it again, and then I got up, and got dressed and walked down the hall. I was pounding on someone's door, I don't know who, the number doesn't even exist. But I was pounding, and you opened it. And you had your bags packed, and you told me that I had deserved what he'd done to me, because I wasn't good for anything other than that, and that you were disappointed that you hadn't managed to get in my pants, and that was why you were leaving again. Because you'd come back to have sex with me, and when I didn't give in right away, you decided it wasn't worth your time."

Jess lifted an eyebrow. "Those aren't the types of dreams you're supposed to be having about me. The dreams you're supposed to be having about me would make you much happier."

It was such a Jess thing to say she had to laugh about it. She ended up hiccoughing because she was still crying, but at least she wasn't quite so scared. She laid her head on his chest, curled her fingers into the fabric of his shirt, and let his presence soothe her.

"Rory?"

"Hmm?"

He sat up a little farther. "If I said all those terrible things in your dream, then why in the world did you run across your house and jump into my lap?"

She could see that her logic was flawed, but she wasn't precisely sure how. It had seemed a logical choice when she'd woken up scared and crying. Go to Jess. "I knew you wouldn't ever actually do that to me. And I was scared. I'm always scared when I wake up from them." She shook her head. "You'll think I'm stupid."

"No I won't. Rory, if there's one person on this planet that I can say without a shadow of a doubt isn't stupid, it's you."

"Okay. Well, I woke up, and I was crying, and terrified, and the only thought that I could grasp was 'go to Jess. He'll make it better.' It's sort of the same principle as when I wake up and Luke and Mom are on their way down the stairs. I sort of always make a flying leap at Luke."

Because she knew that neither of them would ever hurt her. He kissed her forehead and leaned back against the arm of the couch. "I wish I could make it stop, Ror. I really do."

She shook her head. "No one can make them stop. The psychologist I went to for a couple sessions after I found out I was pregnant thinks that they'll stop when the baby's born." She looked up at him. "How is it that you've been back less than a day, and I already feel like you never left at all?"

"I don't know." He sighed, lifted one of her hands so that he could play with her fingers. "I want to say that you should have called me, and I'd have come back when it happened."

Rory shook her head again, in what was becoming a habitual motion. "No. It was hard enough keeping Luke from flying to Switzerland to kill Logan. Mom and I had to use every card in the deck. We wouldn't have been able to stop you. And you're hot headed enough, and impulsive enough, that you'd have been on a plane halfway there before you even realized what you were doing."

"I think Luke was more or less going to drag him back here by his bleached blonde hair and press charges. Boy like that wouldn't hold up well in prison."

"I don't want to talk about it if that's all right." The conversation was one she never wanted to have. She didn't try to forget about what had happened. She couldn't. She was pregnant. But neither did that mean that she wanted to sit and talk about everything.

"That's fine." Jess wasn't about to push her. It wouldn't do either of them any good.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

Rory giggled at the absurdity of the question. "Do you still smoke?"

Jess looked at her strangely for a second before shaking his head. "Nah. I never really did. Just a teenage rebellion thing."

"Good." She looked up at him, smiled in a way that put a clamp around his heart. "I didn't like that habit of yours."

"I know. But no one else did either, which was the point. Most of my other irritating qualities were ones that you liked."

"Learned to live with." She corrected, snuggling closer. She was thinking that on top of Jess wouldn't be a bad place to sleep, and was considering simply falling asleep on him, which would force him to let her stay and cuddle him all night.

"Okay, learned to live with. I was sort of annoying, I can admit that now. But I still got the girl."

Rory lifted an eyebrow. "Well, at first, half the reason you wanted me was to make Dean mad."

"No it wasn't. I wanted you the second I laid eyes on you, and that was before I even knew about Dean."

"Really?"

Jess sighed. "I never told you that, did I?"

"No." Her voice was very small and she nestled her head further into his chest. "You never did. I'd have been a lot quicker to forgive you if I'd known that."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I didn't tell you. We needed that time apart, Ror. We really did. We needed to learn to be apart so that we'd be better together."

"Jess?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

Jess's brow furrowed. "Here, as in on top of me on the couch here?"

"That's the basic idea, yeah."

"When you have a much larger bed just down the hall where we could actually be comfortable?"

Rory nodded. "If we're here, neither of us will be tempted to do something we shouldn't. If we were in my room, the only thing stopping us would be self control, and you've never had any, and mine around you isn't worth mentioning. So here is the safest place, and I don't want to be alone."

"Rory, I'm not going to do anything at all if we go in there. I'm not a teenager anymore. And you don't need anything mucking things up anymore than they're already mucked up."

Rory stood and pulled him up. "In that case, let's go to bed."

Jess followed her willingly into her bedroom, though he quite consciously left the door wide open. The less temptation the better, despite his pledge not to touch her. Better safe than sorry. Especially when it came to someone he actually cared about.

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Jess woke up when Lorelai leaped onto the bed with him and Rory. Rory shrieked as she woke, and grabbed him to keep from falling off the bed. Lorelai chuckled maniacally and tossed her arms around them both. Jess rubbed his forehead in confusion, and peered at the older woman through sleep fogged eyes.

"Lorelai? What the hell are you doing in here? At-" he looked at his watch, "seven on a Saturday morning?"

"The carnival silly! We have to go to the carnival. We must go to the carnival. I can't survive unless we go to the carnival. So get up! Come on, Jessy wessy! We must leave immediately and go ride rides and eat a ton of food and play games! And coffee! They have coffee!"

Jess lifted one eyebrow. "I think you've have entirely enough coffee for today. How much have you had already?"

"Two pots. Plus four cups."

Jess did the math. "You've had twenty eight cups of coffee. How long have you been up?"

"Four hours. Not long. Come on, come on, come on. It starts in an hour."

Rory was giggling. "Mom, you need to ease off the coffee."

"I'm not pregnant, thank God. I don't have to ease off anything, little miss 'I only allow myself one cup a day because caffeine isn't good for the baby.'"

"Well, it isn't, mother. And sometimes I just can't make it without two cups." Rory threw off the blankets and stretched. "I'll go get dressed. Jess, you'd might as well listen. If you think I'm bad about the carnivals, you've never met my mother. She taught me everything I know."

Lorelai's head bobbed up and down in exuberant agreement. "I did, I did, I did. Yay me."

Jess rolled his eyes and stumbled into the living room, stopping to pour himself a cup and ruffle the hair of Lucas and Garrett who were eating some cereal comprised of nothing but sugar and drenched in coffee. The boys were going to have a major problem when they got older.

He had barely buttoned his shirt when Rory ran from the bathroom fully dressed and ready to go. She made a beeline for the kitchen and started making a fresh pot, though he noticed she used half regular coffee, and half decaf. That made him smile. She was forsaking her addiction to coffee for the well being of her child.

She guzzled two cups, ate a bowl of cereal and a plate of pancakes that Jess made for her, then grabbed a jacket. "Ready to go everyone?"

Five seconds later, she was yanking him down the street with just about everyone else who lived in Stars Hollow. She linked her arm through his and smiled up at him. Very suspicious.

"What do you want?"

"Candy apples, bloomin' onions, pizza, cotton candy, caramel apples, hot dogs, funnel cakes, elephant ears, a gyro, one of those candy apples with sprinkles and ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup."

The fact that he knew she could, and most likely would, eat almost all of what she had named made him sick to his stomach. Never the less, he looked down at her and returned the smile. Then he said that three words every Gilmore waited all their lives to hear from a man in regards to gargantuan amounts of junk food. "Whatever you want."


	5. Chapter 5

Hope you're liking this so far. I know it's been a joy writing it. I'm really flowing I think, and I'm staying fairly regular, which is a good thing. I hope that everyone will drop me a line and let me know what you think about this. I could use a beta reader, if anyone is interested. I know that things may seem like they're moving a little quickly, but that's the way it is intended. Jess has grown up, and Rory needs someone, so it's natural that they'll get back together. It starts out as a symbiotic relationship, and it'll grow throughout the story to be something more. They are in love, and they love one another, its just right now that's all the relationship is based on. Love and their history. It'll slowly grow into a future. So bear with me, and we'll get there eventually. I already have the last chapter and epilogue planned out, though I'm not sure how long this is actually going to be. Also, let me plug one of my favorite stories. Go read Ruined in the Rain, it's awesome. Lights, Cameras, Action is good too, I like Incoming a lot, and Echoed is also good. And they are all Lit fics, so if you're reading this, you'll like them. I promise. And drop them a review too while you're over there reading their stories. After you read this chapter, of course. All we authors live off of reviews, and we'd really like to know what you think about our work.

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Luke looked up when the bell over the diner door chimed. No one had been in all day because of the carnival, so the diner was completely empty. When he saw Jess supporting Lorelai and Rory and Lucas and Garrett attached to his legs, he smirked. The Gilmores had OD'd on junk food, no doubt.

"A little help here." Jess grumbled, taking two steps into the diner. "She's your wife, and they're your kids. The only one I lay claim to is the one who can actually walk."

Rory giggled and sagged against him a little more dramatically. "But that's no fun. If you have to help Mom walk, you should have to help me too. Luke, the baby wants a cheeseburger and chocolate chip pancakes."

Luke lifted his eyebrows. "Well, you'll just have to wait. Lorelai, stop molesting Jess and sit down. Boys, leave him alone." He pinned Jess with a glare as well. "Why do you have to encourage them?"

"I don't encourage anything except them walking on their own."

Lorelai sagged into a chair, laid a hand over her stomach. "I am never eating again."

Luke sighed. "If only I could get that lucky. Boys, go bother Caesar. He could use the company. And tell him to get the regular for Rory. How much did you eat, Lorelai?"

Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know. Everything that looked good. Ooh, Luke, have you ever had deep fried Oreos? They're soooo good. Jess, go get some for Luke."

Luke shook his head. "Don't you dare. I don't eat Oreos that aren't deep fried. Jess, how much did she have?"

"Everything that Rory had, which is roughly three times the amount any normal human could ingest over the course of a week."

"That sounds about right. I wish I knew how they did it." Luke sat a mug of coffee in front of Lorelai, who looked at it suspiciously. "Don't worry, it's caffinated. I promise."

Rory leaned on Jess while she waited for her food. "You're too nice to us, Jess."

Jess patted her head absently. "I know."

Lorelai gulped down her coffee. "So when are you going back to California, Jess?"

Jess' brow furrowed. "I'm not. I have an apartment in New York."

"Oh? Where in New York?"

"Meat packing district."

Lorelai's eyebrows nearly met her hairline. "You're kidding."

"No. Why?"

"That's where Rory's apartment is. It's apparently the new place to live in New York. Close to downtown, which means it's just a short cab ride for her to go to work at the Times, and it's relatively safe compared to the rest of New York, and surprisingly affordable."

"Well, I don't suppose it's all that surprising that we picked the same neighborhood." Jess said thoughtfully, watching Rory shovel in pancakes. "I'm working for a record company, and I have a book coming out, so we're working in roughly the same part of town which means that there are a limited number of places to live close. Add on to that that we're both just starting, we're recent college graduates, and not making all that much money, and the number gets even smaller."

Rory nodded, grasping the logic there just fine. Lorelai, who was inclined to be suspicious of Jess anyway, had problems with the coincidence of the situation. Not that she didn't like him, because she did. At least, in the time that he had been back, she liked him. And it wasn't that she didn't trust him, because she did. It was just the basic principle that old habits died hard.

"What building are you in?" Lorelai asked, not noticing that Jess had moved on to talking to Luke about something else. He answered her absently before turning back to his conversation with his uncle. "That's the same building Rory's in."

That got his attention. That got everyone's attention. Jess turned back to Lorelai, looking confused. "What do you mean that's where Rory's living?"

"I mean exactly what it sounds like I mean. That's the building in which Rory has her apartment."

Rory laughed. "Imagine that. We're going to be neighbors."

"Did you know Rory was moving to New York?"

Luke lifted his eyebrows at his wife. "I don't see how he could have, Lor. I didn't tell him. I haven't talked to him in months."

Jess shook his head. "No. I bought the place because of it's literary history, and the fact that my grandmother on my father's side left me the lease in her will. It's rent controlled, which means I can actually afford it, and it's huge, which is another plus, and I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid."

Lorelai looked at Luke, who nodded. "I was only there once, but I remember it being in the meat packing district."

Satisfied that Jess hadn't plotted the whole thing out, Lorelai nodded. "Good. I like knowing someone will be close to Rory to call me and take her to the hospital when she goes into labor."

Jess paled at that thought. "What?"

Lorelai laughed, getting a kick out of making him squirm. "You're the boyfriend, kid, remember? That means Lamaze classes, and crushed fingers in the delivery room, and helping her with cravings, and maneuvering stairs when she can't even see her feet, and lugging her out of bed in the morning. And birth. That means that you get to be in there during the birth of my grandchild."

Rory slapped a hand over her mother's mouth. "Mom. Much. Too. Early. For. This. Discussion." She enunciated every word so that there was no way her mother could pretend that she hadn't heard what Rory was saying. "Got it?"

Lorelai nodded, and Rory released her. Though before she could say anything, Jess had leapt from his seat and was dragging Rory out the front door. She looked at Luke like a child with her hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar. "I think I just made a boo boo."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

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Jess didn't stop until they were at the bridge. It had been the place of most of their groundbreaking talks thus far in the time they'd known each other, and neither felt a need for things to be any different. He sat down, and she slowly lowered herself beside him, placing her flip flops safely on the bridge beside her so that she didn't lose yet another pair in the creek.

"Jess, Mom was just teasing. You know she didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Jess looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Rory, we need to talk."

Rory felt her heart drop into her stomach, and tears threatened to well in her eyes, but she was determined to hold them back. She couldn't blame him for wanting out. It was too much to ask anyone to take on. Too much to expect from anyone. "Okay. Talk."

He heard the catch in her voice, twisted around to face her, then tipped her head in his direction so that he could lay his mouth over hers. He kissed her gently, then pulled back. "It isn't what you think it is, Ror. I just want to talk. Serious stuff, yeah, but nothing bad. I promise."

Rory nodded. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?" she laughed. "I don't suppose the new edition of Howl is an option?"

"Nope. It's paperback, and the same as all the other ones save the first edition. Not even worth mentioning." He took a deep breath and turned to watch the water some more. "Your mom was right. You are going to need help. With the pregnancy thing, and the labor thing."

"Jess, women do it on their own all the time. I mean, no it won't be easy, but Mom is only a couple hours away, and you're in the same building. It isn't like I don't have people to help me when I need it."

"Yeah, but a couple hours is a long time if something happens, and what if you fall or something, or get sick and can't call me? What then?"

Rory was confused. "What are you talking about? I'm not even really showing yet, Jess. And I get sick every morning almost. That isn't anything new."

"And you can't go out in New York City in the middle of the night to satisfy a craving, and I know you're too polite to call and wake me up."

"What are you trying to say? That you think I should stay here in Stars Hollow?"

Jess gaped at her. "No! I thought I was making it obvious what I thought. You can't stay by yourself, Rory. You don't need the stress. And what if someone tries to break in in the middle of the night, hmm? What then?"

"So you think I should hire a body guard?"

"No, Rory! Dammit! I think you should move in with me! I have three bedrooms. That's a room for each of us and one for the baby. And I won't have to worry about you, and your mother would feel better, and it would just be a better situation all around. I'd be right there, and I could go get the stuff for your cravings, and I could help you get out of bed in the mornings, and be there when you go into labor. It's either that or I'm sleeping on your couch for the next six months, cause I know you don't have a spare room."

"Okay."

"I mean, I know it's a big change, and that it'll take some getting used to, and that you may not, we may not, be ready for this, but I think it's the best option, and I really want to make this work. Wait. Did you say okay?"

Rory giggled. "I said okay. One condition though."

"Name it."

"I don't want my own room. If you're serious about this, then you're gonna be up too when the baby kicks and keeps me awake, or when my back hurts and I can't sleep. And this isn't about sex, so don't think that's what I mean. I have problems sleeping by myself at home, so it'd be ten times worse in a strange apartment in a strange city."

Jess nodded. "Deal." He pulled her up and started tugging her in the direction of the diner, her hopping the first few steps as she got her shoes back on.

"Where are we going?"

"To tell Luke and Lorelai."

Rory hurried to catch up, a grin spreading across her face of its own volition and without her permission. He wanted to tell people. He wanted to tell them that they were together and they were moving in with one another. She didn't think anything could have made her happier at that particular point in time.

Jess opened the door to the diner and dragged Rory through. Luke and Lorelai looked up from where they were coloring with the boys. Jess took a deep breath. "We've decided to move into my apartment together."


	6. Chapter 6

Lorelai gaped at her daughter and Jess for several long seconds before squealing so loud that Jess had to release Rorys hand to cover his ears. The Lorelai was charging across the diner and enveloping them both in a giant hug. No one was more surprised that she was doing so than she herself was.

AI should be so mad about this.

Rory laughed, wrapping her arms around her mother. AYoure just glad you wont be worrying about me getting mugged as much.

AI know. Which is why Im not mad. Hes lived there before. He knows how dangerous it is, and he may be scrawny, but hes got the scary glare down pat. Its enough to scare off most would be muggers.

Jess rolled his eyes. AThanks. Thats just what Ive always wanted to be. Scary looking. And Im not scrawny.

Luke stood and gripped Lorelai by the hips, tugging gently so that she released them to have the conversation. It was a little awkward, the three of them having a normal everyday conversation when she was wrapped around the other two. AI think this calls for pie.

Lorelai was at the counter less than two seconds later. Laughing, Rory and Jess followed, Rory perching between her mother and Jess. Luke served slices of blackberry pie, then broke tradition in pulling a stool up to his side of the counter after giving his sons smaller slices and joining them. It was a perfect moment, and that nearly made Rory cry. She didnt get many perfect moments like that anymore.

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Lorelai hated work. Well, actually, she loved work. She had the Dragonfly, and she loved it. It was her baby. But when her only daughter was moving to New York in less than a week, she didnt care for work all that much. Shed have much rather been at home, gorging on junk food with her children and watching ridiculously stupid movies and teaching the boys to mock them. But instead, she was manning the front desk during Micheles break. She knew he was late simply to annoy her.

However, she perked up when Jess walked in. If Rory and the boys had run him out, then that meant they were at least getting to gorge on insane amounts of sugar and coffee and mock movies until someone who actually wanted to watch couldnt concentrate and had to leave.

AJess! Come keep Aunt Lorelai company.

AYou arent my aunt. Youre Lorelai. If you were my aunt, me dating your daughter would be illegal and disgusting.

ARight. I knew there was a reason you didnt call me that. Thats a good one. No incest in this family. Its one of the few things we arent proponents of.

AYeah. Whatever. I need to talk to you.

AWhat do you call this?

AMindless chitchat.

AHuh.

Jess smirked. AThats my line.

ASo it is. Ill never use it again, promise. Can this be discussed here, or should we go grab a table in the dining room so I can take a break and have a pot of coffee?

AEither way.

AJess! Lorelai hissed desperately, AWork with me here. I havent had coffee since I got to work this morning.

Jess looked at his watch. AIts only noon. Thats just four hours.

AFour hours to a Gilmore is like nearly death. Please, please, please.

AOkay. Its very sensitive information that needs to be discussed, and no one else can here us talk.

AMichele! Get your lazy French ass up here and man the front desk, I have a business meeting!

Michele rounded the corner thirty seconds later. ALorelai, if you have a business meeting, dont you think you should watch how you treat your employees?

ANo. Its just you. No one likes you.

AWhich is fine since I like no one either.

ARight. Whatever. Were going to be in the dining room, have Sookie bring out some coffee. A Lorelai amount of coffee. Come on Jess, lets go talk.

Jess rolled his eyes and followed her into the dining room. Once they were both seated, Lorelai refused to talk until she had consumed two cups of coffee, and then she had to goad him over the fact that he didnt drink coffee for another fifteen minutes before she settled back to get down to business. What was supposed to have been a twenty minute errand was now going to take an entire hour.

AOkay. Whats up?

AI need your help.

Lorelai lifted her eyebrows. AThose are words I never thought Id hear from your mouth. Help with what?

ARory. Look, I messed up a lot in high school.

AI know. I was the one with a heart broken daughter, remember?

AYeah. he plowed his hand through his hair, seriously considered the coffee still sitting in front of him that he hadnt touched, and didnt like. AI want to make up for it.

AWell then, you should be talking to Rory, not me.

ANo, this is about Rory. Remember the prom I was supposed to take her to?

AThat you couldnt because you werent going to graduate?

AThat would be the one.

AWhat about it?

AI want to give her prom.

Lorelai thought about that for a minute, quelling her first instinct to say something along the lines of it being a little late for that. But once she considered it, it was a good idea, and it would make Rory happy. AOkay. What do you need my help with?

AA dress. And decorating the gym at the High School.

ADone. Michele! Im taking the rest of the day off! she grabbed her purse from the chair next to her, wondered briefly why she had been carting it around all morning. ALets go to Hartford. Well shop there. You need a tux, too. Let me call Luke and get him on the decorations. Dont worry, no ones going to tell Rory. When are you planning this for?

ATonight?

APerfect. Lets go.

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Rory came out of the living room when she heard her mother enter through the front door. Lorelai was buried in packages, and flailing for somewhere at least waist high to set them down. Chuckling at her mother's antics, Rory took half the packages and sat them on the kitchen table.

"So I see someone called off work and went shopping. Without her favorite daughter."

"Nope. I called off and went shopping. With my not so favorite, but quickly rising on the list Jess."

"Your Jess, huh? Wait." Rory paused as that set in. "You went shopping with Jess? And he went willingly? And I was not invited to be present at this miracle of an event? I'm insulted and chagrined."

Immune and uncaring, Lorelai looked around. "Where are my other progeny?"

"Asleep in front of the TV. I movied them out."

"Good. Jess got you something."

"A present? A present from Jess? And he left it with you?"

"Not only that, I helped him pick it out." She tossed a box at Rory. "Open it." She paused. "Wait. Don't open it yet. There's a letter that you have to read first."

Lorelai handed Rory the envelope and watched her daughter open it. The note therein was short, and straight to the point. It was also so completely Jess that it had to make her laugh. He always had been a man of few words.

_Rory,_

_Meet me at Luke's at seven. I have a surprise planned for you. And wear your present._

_Love always,_

_Jess_

Rory laughed and picked up the box. What she found took her breath away. It was a dress, simple and black, and stunning. It was long, would sweep the floor when she put it on, tied around her neck, and the ends of the ties had glittering strands of crystals. The neckline was relatively plunging, and clipped with a strand of the same crystals. It was silk, and shined in the harsh light in the kitchen.

"Mom, Jess did this?"

"Jess did this. Go get ready. I'll be in to help you with your hair in a few minutes. But first I'm going to dump my twins into bed, and find the shoes I have that I know will match that dress perfectly."

Rory nodded and ran into her room. Lorelai heard the shower start before she was even to the living room. She shook her head and smiled. It was good to see the light back in Rory's eyes again. Really good. She hadn't thought she'd see it anytime soon, but Jess had managed to do that. And she was going to do everything in her power to make sure it stayed there. And if that meant aiding and abetting Jess' scheme, then so be it.

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Rory arrived at the diner at seven on the dot. No one but Luke was in there. Thinking that Jess had set up upstairs, or in the back, she walked in. Luke smiled at her, and pushed another note and a cup of coffee across the counter.

"Here's your clue, and coffee for the trip." He shook his head. "I don't know how I always get roped into these things, but he's gotten me involved in his little plan. You're on a scavenger hunt, Rory, and for some reason unbeknownst to be, my deadbeat nephew is the prize."

Rory's brows knit together. "Really? That's so… not Jess."

"Don't I know it. Anyway, better get going. He's planted these things all over town."

Luke walked upstairs, and Rory sat at the counter to pull the note from the envelope. It, like the other one, was simple and to the point.

_Sorry to make you walk in your heels, but the next one of these is at the bridge. I'd think of something clever to put here, but your mother was set on me quoting Willy Wonka and mentioning something about a chocolate river. So I'll be unoriginal and just tell you where it is."_

Grinning, Rory grabbed her coffee and ran toward the bridge. Or, walked as fast as she could in her heels. Sure enough, taped to the banister of the bridge was another white envelope. Eagerly, she snatched it up and ripped it open.

_Here's an actual clue as opposed to just telling you. Chalk._

Doose's market. The chalk outline. Shaking her head over his clue that was as good as just telling her where it was, she struck off in the other direction and headed back to the center of town. Her feet weren't hurting yet, so she was good for another twenty minutes of clue searching. More than that if he got to making with the literary references.

She plucked the envelope from Taylor's front door and pulled the single sheet of stationary out. There wasn't anything other that the clue on it though. She smiled. He was getting better, but not much.

_Their eyes were watching God_

She did have to think about it for a second, and her mind leapt to the church for a brief second, before it settled on the tree in the middle of the town square. She spotted the envelope from ten yards away and pulled it off the trunk, excited about what it would contain.

_The Fountainhead._

Rory studied that one a while longer. There were no places in town that corresponded to anything in the book, so it had to be a play on the title itself. But there was no fountain in town, nor was there a head just randomly sitting somewhere. She stared at those two words for a good three minutes before it finally hit her. The gazebo. Taylor had wanted to tear it down several years earlier and erect a fountain in the middle of town with his bust on it, immortalizing him as a God of Stars Hollow.

And sure enough, on the bench inside was another envelope. She decided to sit while she read and studied that one, as they were getting harder. More abstract at the least. And she didn't want to stand in high heels any longer than absolutely necessary.

_The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin did not contain this important event in his life_

Okay. She'd read that book. It had bored her to tears, but she'd read it. She could remember vaguely what he had written in it. He'd covered his adventures in whore houses, with his wife, his trip to France, the war, the printing press. Wait. That was it. He hadn't covered his discovery of how to contain and channel electricity.

He was just getting desperate. She could tell that as she walk toward the nearest telephone pole. There really weren't that many in Stars Hollow, but she had to walk a block before she found the right one. She pulled out the stationary and leaned against the pole to read it.

_Almost done, Ror. Hang in there. This one's a little harder. Remember that book you had to read for sociology at Chilton? Guns, Germs, and Steel? Well remember back there. You complained about the gore in this chapter._

She remembered reading the book, and not agreeing with its socioeconomical implications. She'd had a heated debate with her teacher over the mistakes and contradictions. But she could only remember talking to Jess about the chapter on germ warfare in the seventeenth century against the Indians. Germs. What did that have to do with anything? He couldn't put the note on a germ. Germs were everywhere? She grinned as the answer came to her.

Yes, germs could be found anywhere. But they were much more common and numerous in the doctor's office across the street to the high school. She straightened, and headed in that general direction, cursing her mother's shoes the entire way.

The note was on the door, taped up like all the rest. She pulled it down and opened it, sticking the envelope in the ever growing pile in her hand.

_I'm getting sick of trying to be clever, so bear with me here. This is the last one. Go to the Dance Marathon._

Rory snorted. That one was easy. The Dance Marathon was in the gymnasium at Starts Hollow High School. She headed across the street, wondering what in the world he could possibly be doing that wasn't illegal in the gymnasium at the high school he never graduated from. Her question was soon answered.

She pulled open the door and saw lights. Really cheesy Christmas tree lights, and big banners on colorful paper proclaiming that it was the Stars Hollow Senior Prom of 2003. And there was Jess, in a tux, holding a corsage, and waiting for her. She nearly cried on the spot, and imagined that she would by the time the night was out.

"I never got to take you. I always regretted that, Rory. So I'm staging a repeat, except without all the people here that aren't you." He held out a hand, and she slipped hers into it. "Wanna go to prom?"

Rory nodded, barely trusting her voice to work. "I'd love to."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7. I'm rather proud of myself on this one. Updates are consistent and regular, I haven't lost my muse, and normally once I make it past the first few chapters I'm good for the rest of the story because I'm so involved with the characters that it just hurts to think about not writing, and I'll be sitting in class, like this morning in Comparative Studies, thinking about what songs Jess should play at the Prom he made for Rory. By the way, I have an absolutely perfect one to use, just so you know. I know I don't normally do songfics, and this won't be one per se, but there will be lyrics in this, and I'll go ahead and tell you that they are by Nickelback and the song Far Away off their new album. For all those of you who haven't heard the song, prepare to cry. It is so perfect.

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The gymnasium was lit softly with ivory Christmas tree lights, and off to one side there was a small table, set for two people. The tablecloth was red, and there was a bottle of sparkling cider chilling in a bucket of ice.

"Jess." That was the one word that could force itself from Rory's throat at that moment. She was too overcome to say anything else. She looked at him with eyes wet with tears and alight with joy. "Thank you."

"You deserve it. Come on, I cooked."

"You cooked?"

"I did. At Luke's. It isn't cheeseburgers, but you should like it. How do you feel about Italian?"

"I love Italian. Pizza's Italian. How could I not like Italian? And spaghetti, everyone likes spaghetti. Well, except Mom, but she won't eat anything made with any part of a vegetable."

"Rory. You're rambling again."

"I'm nervous."

"I'm the one sticking my neck out here." He reminded her gently, leading her to the table, and pulling out her chair for her. "All you have to do is sit here and enjoy dinner. Which is lasagna by the way. I decided to skip the salad because I know you'd never eat it and go straight for the main course. Dessert is, of course, something coffee and chocolate flavored."

Rory's head bobbed up and down. "You certainly do know me well."

"Your coffee addiction is well known, Ror. Everyone in the state of Connecticut knows not to deny a Gilmore a cup of coffee."

She smiled as he placed her plate in front of her. "Thanks. This looks wonderful." She picked up her fork, started to take a bite, then changed her mind. "Why the clues?"

"Excuse me?"

"The scavenger hunt. Sending me all over town finding those envelopes taped to things. Some of your references were really out there. Like the Fountainhead. Plays on titles of books are unacceptable. It took me a while."

"I was in a hurry and didn't have time to be clever. You obviously figured them all out though. Seeing as you're here a little earlier than I'd figured you'd be."

"Mom said I had to hurry because I was running late. And Luke just told me what was going on. He didn't make me follow a lot of clues all over town. Though it was a good idea. Maybe in six months, when Mom comes to see the baby, I'll hide her and send Mom on a scavenger hunt."

Jess could see that one in his head, and it wasn't pretty. "I don't think I'd do that if I were you. She may deem it cruel and unusual and just take the baby back to Stars Hollow."

"True." Rory finally took a bite of the lasagna. "Ooh. This is really good."

"I'm glad you approve. I am Italian, Rory."

"I know. You've just never cooked for me before. This is much better than Olive Garden."

"I should hope so."

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Dinner went smoothly. By the time he cleared the dessert plates, he had her relaxed and laughing. But he didn't sit down after placing the dishes out of sight. He walked to a CD player that he'd set up earlier and put in the CD he'd made of all the songs he wanted to play that night. There were actually three different discs, and four hours of music waiting to be played. He didn't think he'd need that much, but he'd wanted to be prepared.

Rory grinned when Road to Ruin blasted from the speakers. She stood and hopped on one foot to take off the evil high heels. Besides, with them on, she was nearly eye to eye with him, and for some reason she liked being short around him. She always wanted him to tower over her.

"What else is on there?"

"Oh, Nirvana, Metallica, a little Journey, the Ramones, the Clash, Coheed and Cambria, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Breaking Benjamin, Staind, No Address, and Nickelback."

Rory lifted her eyebrows. "Wide selection there."

"That was the plan. Didn't want to stick with one theme. Seemed a little boring."

"A little. But we've never been predictable. It would have been a change."

"Yes, but our unpredictability is predictable. The one thing people know for sure is that they never know what we're going to do next."

"When you put it that way…we're already a boring old married couple."

Jess pulled her into his arms. "Might as well split up now. That's a little unpredictable even for us. We never managed to have a traditional breakup like all other couples. We'll be predictable, and normal, and that will be us being unpredictable."

"You're right. I love you, but people just know too much about us. We can't possibly be together anymore if it's lost it's shock value."

"Really, I mean, come on, Ror, you're pregnant. That sort of shocked them beyond any shock they could ever have ever again. No one's talking about us anymore."

"The horror." She rested her head against his chest, breathed in his scent. "Jess?"

"Hmm?"

"I like being predictably unpredictable."

"Me too. So I guess the split is off, huh?"

"It would seem so. Too bad. That would have set the town on it's ear."

"I know. We'll just have to come up with something else."

She smiled again his tuxedo. "Once Mom gets through alerting everyone in town to your impromptu prom, that'll turn everything upside down. They'll have to reevaluate what they think about you."

"Well then, my mission in life has been fulfilled." He kissed the top of her head, tightening his grip on her waist. "Why are we slowdancing to a fast song?"

Rory realized that Enter Sandman was playing and chuckled. "Because neither of us really fast dance well. You pretend that you're too cool, and I look like an idiot when I try."

"You don't look like an idiot ever, but I am too cool. You can be too cool if you want."

"I want to be whatever you are."

"Good. Cause I want the same thing."

They fell silent and simply danced. Holding each other, occasionally making a comment about the song that was playing, stopping once to get a drink of water and chase each other around the gym for a few minutes, flicking one another with drops of water from their glasses. But when the final song on the CD came on, he drew her back into his arms, but didn't let her lay her head on his chest.

"Look at me for this one."

Not understanding, Rory nodded. And an unfamiliar song came on. After the first verse, she was crying.

This time, this place 

_Misused, Mistakes_

_Too long, too late_

_Who was I to make you wait_

_Just one chance_

_Just one breath_

_Just in case there's just one left_

'_Cause you know, _

_you know, you know_

"Jess."

He wiped the tears from her face with the tips of his fingers. "Just listen, Ror. Please."

That I love you 

_I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you_

_Been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me_

_And you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if_

_I don't see you anymore_

"I love you, Rory." He kissed her softly. "I wish I hadn't ever left. And I wish I'd come back much sooner. I know we needed the time, but we missed so much."

"I know. I wanted you to come back. Every day, I wanted you here with me. I always have. I always will."

On my knees, I'll ask 

_Last chance for one last dance_

'_Cause with you, I'd withstand_

_All of hell to hold your hand_

_I'd give it all_

_I'd give for us_

_Give anything, but I won't give up_

'_Cause you know,_

_you know, you know_

"I wanted to take you to Prom all those years ago."

"I know." Rory smiled gently. "It's okay, Jess. I forgave you for that a long time ago. I'm just glad you're here now."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you ever again. I mean, we're talkin' serious, till death do us part stuff here, Ror. Cause when I'm in, I'm all in. And you can't get rid of me."

"Good. Cause I'm all in, too. And I don't want to get rid of you."

"Thank God."

That I love you 

_I have loved you all along_

_And I miss you_

_Been far away for far too long_

_I keep dreaming you'll be with me_

_And you'll never go_

_Stop breathing if_

_I don't see you anymore_

_So far away_

_Been far away for far too long_

_So far away_

_Been far away for far too long_

_But you know, you know, you know_

_I wanted_

_I wanted you to stay_

'_Cause I needed_

_I need to hear you say_

_That I love you_

_I have loved you all along_

_And I forgive you_

_For being away for far too long_

_So keep breathing_

'_Cause I'm not leaving_

_Hold on to me_

_And never let me go_

Rory laid her head against his shoulder and fisted her hands in his coat. And she cried. And he held her, and let her hold onto him. And he prayed fervently that nothing would ever come between them again. And hoped against hope that they would be strong enough to handle whatever came at them when the prayer wasn't answered. And he cried with her.

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Jess dropped Rory off at her house a little after midnight. He kissed her, long and slow and deep, then sent her inside to her mother, who was eagerly awaiting the details of the night. He grinned however, when he heard Lorelai's first shriek.

"Oh my God, Rory! You're crying! What did the jackass do? I swear I'll kill him!"

Rory shook her head and walked into her mother's arms. "Mom, it was so sweet. He was so amazing."

"Oh. So good tears?"

"Very good tears. Mom, it was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. He made dinner, and we danced, and he made a CD, and he held me. And we didn't even have to talk. We just stood there, holding each other, and he cried, Mom."

Lorelai had to sit down. She motioned for Rory to follow her and sank onto the couch. "Jess 'I'm a tough guy' Mariano cried?"

"He did. I cried first though. Mom, nothing will ever compare to what he did tonight. Nothing."

Lorelai pulled Rory into her arms and they curled up on the couch to talk like they had countless times in the past. "Ror, baby, that's amazing. I'm so glad you had fun."

"I love him, Mom, and I'll never not love him."

"I know." Lorelai sighed, kissed Rory's hair. "You've loved him since you were seventeen. That's saying something, seeing as what you put each other through."

"He came back for me."

"What do you mean?"

"During the whole Dean thing. He came back for me. After Liz's wedding. He came to my dorm at Yale, and begged me to go with him and live with him so that we could be together. And I slammed the door in his face, Mom."

"Oh, baby. Why didn't you tell me?"

"You'd have thought he deserved it, and I knew he didn't. I knew that I really wanted to go with him, but I held myself back. It should have been him, Mom. Not Dean. I shouldn't have slept with Dean. Jess should have been my first. I mean, you know I never even thought about it with Dean, and I told you that it might happen with Jess."

"I remember. I hated him then, Ror. It felt like he was stealing my baby. And then everything happened with Dean being married, and Logan, and I wished Jess was back, and that all I had to deal with was worrying about him gnomenapping Babette's lawn ornaments."

"You never told me that."

"You were growing up, and we were drifting apart. I didn't want to drive anything else between us. I'm glad he's back, Rory. And I'm glad that you're with him."

"So am I."

"And that's what matters. I'll miss you, babe. While you're in New York. I'll miss you a lot."

"And I'll miss you too. But we'll come visit, and you'll come visit, and we'll talk three times every day, and we'll see each other on weekends, and email, and even snail mail. And I'll send you a fruit basket to torture Luke with every week."

"And I'll send you coffee flavored everything so that you can get your fix without huge amounts of caffeine. And I'll get a webcam so we can talk on the Internet and see each other, and we'll download those annoying instant message things."

"Definitely. Mom?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Can we stay out here tonight? Just the two of us?"

"Sure, honey. Let's have a girls night."

"Can I pretend I'm seventeen and you like Jess?"

"Sure. Let's pretend you're seventeen and I like Jess. How was school?"

"Well, Mom, Chilton is really tough…but I think I might make valedictorian."

Lorelai grinned as she reached for the remote. "That's nice, Ror. And guess what? Reruns of I love Lucy are on."

"Ooh. Let's watch."

Lorelai turned on the TV and mother and daughter settled in to watch an old classic. Both hanging on to the pretend world when things were simpler, and easier to deal with. And facing the moment they would have to again face reality with a mixture of hope, and dread.


	8. Chapter 8

Luke woke alone. That was surprising, seeing as he woke at six in the morning, and in all the time he had known Lorelai, he had never known her to be out of bed before at least eight when there wasn't an emergency. So he dressed quickly, and walked downstairs in search of his wife.

He found her on the couch, sound asleep, holding Rory. Rory was still in her prom dress, her hair was still curled and she was still wearing eyeshadow and all her jewelry. Her shoes were on the floor next to the couch, and Lorelai was still wearing jeans and her blouse from the day before.

They were both peaceful in sleep, though Luke knew they would invade the diner, begging for coffee and complaining of various aches and pains as soon as they woke. Sleeping on the couch couldn't be good for them, and he knew he'd end up listening to them whine for the rest of the day.

Which meant he was tempted to carry them to Rory's room so they'd wake up feeling better. He considered that option while he drank his morning cup of tea and ate a bowl of fruit salad. He sighed, walked back into the living room and scooped Rory up. Even in pregnancy she was light, and he had her tucked into her bed within two minutes. Lorelai was slightly heavier, being much taller than her daughter, but was also light and easy to carry. Once Lorelai was lying next to Rory, he closed the door, and left the house, leaving his family sleeping. He knew the boys would be up relatively early, and would wake their mother and sister as soon as they were.

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Jess was serving the morning crowd when Luke arrived. He did not look happy about it either. His hair was messy, as if he hadn't had time to even comb it, and he was wearing jeans and a huge sweatshirt. Luke choked on his tea when he looked down and saw that Jess was walking around in nothing but socks.

"What the hell happened to you? Shoe fairy take everything?"

Jess growled, and walked behind the counter to pick up plates. "Kirk started pounding about five, demanding breakfast and coffee. Said that his mother wanted him ready to leave to visit his grandparents by nine, which meant if he wanted to spend his typical three hours over breakfast that he had to start at five. He wouldn't stop, so I gave up, let him in and cooked. The next thing I know, the whole damn town is in here for an early breakfast. Caesar isn't here, I'm cooking and serving, and I didn't get in until after midnight, which means I've had less than five hours of sleep."

Luke took the coffee pot from his nephew. "Go get dressed and cleaned up then get back down here."

"I'm going back to bed, Luke. I'm exhausted."

"You're up, you're gonna work." Luke tucked his tongue in his cheek, tempted to laugh at his nephew. He knew he was being mean, but couldn't help it. After the years of teenage delinquency he had had to suffer through, he was entitled to a little payback. "Go get ready and be back down here in ten minutes or I'll drag you down."

Jess started up the stairs. "That's what you're gonna have to do." He disappeared into the apartment, took five steps and collapsed face down on the bed. He was asleep in seconds.

And true to his word, ten minutes later, Luke marched up the stairs, grabbed Jess by the waistband of his jeans and dragged him out of bed. He grabbed two sneakers, handed them to his nephew and shoved him down the stairs. Jess was swearing the entire way down the steps, but he put on his shoes and picked up a coffee pot.

"I swear to God, Luke, you're gonna pay for that one."

"Just feed Kirk."

"Kirk can feed himself."

Luke turned around and watched Jess sit down behind the counter and pull a book from his back pocket. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?"

"Not working."

"If you're going to make me be down here at six thirty in the morning, then no, I am not going to work anymore than I have to. Everyone has food, they all have coffee, and you're here to help them if they don't."

Luke walked behind the counter and into the kitchen. "How'd everything go last night? I meant to ask you about that."

"Good."

"Give me more than one syllable here, Jess. Did she like it?"

"Yup."

"That work was even shorter than the one before it."

"So?"

"Are you trying to annoy me on purpose?"

"It's a natural talent."

"That was more than one syllable. Seriously, though, how did it go?"

"I told you. It went good. We ate, we danced, I took her home."

"And I found her still in her dress, sound asleep in Lorelai's lap this morning. They slept on the couch."

"When I dropped her off, she was crying, and Lorelai thought I'd done something."

"Rory was crying!" Luke stormed out of the kitchen and stopped inches away from his nephew. "You drop her off in tears and call it a good night?"

"They weren't sad tears."

"You'd better explain that, and fast."

Jess reached into the pocket of his jeans, handed his uncle a folded up sheet of paper with lyrics on it. "I played her this song. And she cried."

Luke scanned the lyrics, and Jess could see his face soften. "Well then, that's okay I guess. Sorry."

Jess nearly laughed. "It's okay."

"So it went well? Lorelai didn't chase you back here with the pitchfork she made me buy in case you screwed up last night?"

"Lorelai made you buy a pitchfork?"

"Yeah. But I had to hide it. Paul Anka isn't fond of it."

"Who's Paul Anka? I know you don't mean the actual person."

"The dog. Lorelai got him a couple years ago. He doesn't come out when there are strangers. He hides under Garrett's bed."

"I'll have to go up and meet him later." Jess paused. "Wait. Did Lorelai get this dog before the two of you got married?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"So she cared for a living animal all by herself?"

"It was while Rory and living with Richard and Emily. She needed something to take care of. So she adopted Paul Anka. He is the strangest dog that has ever been born."

"Why's that?"

"He likes broccoli, has to eat off a plate or in the dark by himself, locks people out of cars, is scared of mailboxes and peas, strangers, Emily, and couches."

Jess lifted his eyebrows, trying unsuccessfully not to laugh. "The only person on the face of the planet that could find a dog like that is Lorelai Gilmore."

"Tell me about it. And the boys love him, so we're stuck with him indefinitely."

"Sucks to be you."

"I wouldn't say that. Rory got her apartment in that building partly because it's pet friendly. She wants her own dog."

Jess was shaking his head before Luke even finished the sentence. "No way. We cannot handle a dog."

"Actually, I think it would be a good idea."

"WHAT!"

Luke smothered a laugh at Jess's shocked expression. "You know, something to keep her company during her maternity leave."

"That would be the baby."

"Something to protect her if you ever have to go out of town, to let her know if someone's trying to get in."

Jess couldn't protest those benefits. He would have to occasionally travel for his job. He was working in the music industry. Most of his work would be done inside New York City, but he'd known when he took the job that there would be times when he would have to take short trips to California. And he certainly didn't want anything to happen to Rory while he was gone. He looked up at his uncle, curiosity on his face.

"How much trouble is a dog?"

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Rory and Lorelai arrived at the diner at eleven thirty that morning. When they got there, it was closed, and no amount of pounding on the door got them in. In fact, the diner remained dark, and neither of them could see anyone inside.

"Where could they have gone?" Lorelai whined as she and Rory leaned on each other, both in desperate need of coffee.

"I don't know. Should we go to the Inn and let Sookie give us coffee?"

"She fancies it up too much. She scowls when I want it black. It has to be fancy with many ingredients other than coffee beans and water to qualify as Sookie coffee."

"We can go to Al's."

"Nah. The coffee there is water."

"Should we try to make it ourselves?"

"And walk all the way back to the house?"

"Good point." Rory looked at Taylor's ice cream shop. "I bet he has coffee."

Lorelai looked at her daughter. "Blasphemous creature! Who are you and what have you done with my daughter? We do not drink Taylor coffee."

"Have we ever tried it?"

Lorelai thought for a minute. "Luke won't let us."

"Luke's not here."

"We do have a long day. Packing the rest of your stuff so we can move you in tomorrow. Jess's stuff is already there, but we have to unpack his stuff tomorrow too."

"So…?"

"Taylor's coffee it is."

Rory opened the door and they walked up to the counter. Taylor appeared moments later in his customary checked vest. "How can I help you two this morning?"

"We're gonna need four large coffees to go."

Taylor nodded and walked to the machine. "Sugar or cream?"

"Sugar."

"Taylor? Do you think you could make mine half decaf and half regular? Too much caffeine isn't good for the baby, but I can't function without at least two cups."

Taylor nodded, putting the lids on the first two and handing them to Lorelai. "Sure thing. Can't have the newest Gilmore turning into a caffeine addict like it's mother. So why aren't you two at Luke's?"

"He isn't there. And neither is Jess."

Rory took her coffees and got out her wallet to pay for all four. "That hooligan probably killed Luke and is off dumping the body somewhere."

Lorelai reached over and grabbed Rory's wrist before her daughter could say anything. "Thanks for the coffee Taylor." She dug a five out of her pocket, tossed it on the counter and dragged Rory out. "Sorry, babe. Couldn't have you dumping coffee all over the man that provided us with it this morning. You know Taylor doesn't like Jess or Luke."

"I know. But why can't anyone ever give him a chance?"

"They will. They are more now than they used to. It'll get better." Lorelai tossed an arm around Rory, nearly spilling coffee. "Ready for the move tomorrow?"

"Yeah. As ready as I will be. It's scary, but not as bad now that I'm living with Jess. Though are you sure Grandma's going to survive having the boys for a week?"

Lorelai grinned. "She'll appreciate me more afterward."

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Jess studied the display of collars at the pet store. "Which do you think?"

"Well, the dog's a girl. Should we get it a girl collar?"

"Do they have girl dog collars? I thought they were all unisex."

Luke shrugged. "Lorelai always gets Paul Anka his monthly collar."

"He gets a new one every month?"

"He can't take wearing the same one for more than that. He's a fashion conscious dog."

"Please tell me that's Lorelai's phrase and not yours."

"Don't worry. They all look the same to me."

"Which one screams Rory to you?"

"You aren't putting the collar on Rory."

"No, but she'll want the dog to be like her, so we should get the collar that Rory would pick."

Luke's eyes fastened on the one dotted with coffee cups. "That one."

Jess grabbed it. "Great. Now, what else does a dog need?"

"Leash, bowls, bed, toys, food."

"Right. Do they have a matching leash?"

Luke walked to the next aisle and picked one up. He handed it to Jess and headed toward dog beds. "How big of a bed does this dog need?"

Jess looked toward the truck where the dog was in the front seat. It was an Irish setter that had been left when it's owners had moved. She was about sixty pounds, red, and had a ton of hair. Rory would have a blast with her. "I don't know. A big one. It's a big dog."

"What are you going to name it?"

"That's up to Rory."

"Oh God. You're going to end up with a dog named Ayn Rand."

"No. I'll put my foot down there. The worst I'll let her name it is Jane Eyre."

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Lorelai and Rory raced to the porch when they heard Luke's truck pull up. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the dog sitting next to Jess and Luke loaded down with several large bags. Rory looked at Lorelai.

"She looks like a Bunny to me."

Rory nodded. "Looks like it to me too." She ran off the porch, dropping next to the dog. "Hi, Bunny, I'm your Mommy."


	9. Chapter 9

It's come to my attention that this story is lacking a lot of fine details, and it's also been brought up about how Richard and Emily would react to the whole Rory Jess situation with them bring such big fans of Logan and all. I hope this chapter addresses a lot of those questions. If it doesn't, let me know, and I'll try to explain things better. I think that this should get at everything though. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the story, and if you haven't already, drop me a review and let me know what you're thinking and how you're liking this. And yes, to address the common question, Logan will be making an appearance in this fic, but later on. And there will not be any clues. He's just going to show up out of the blue and take everyone, especially Rory and Jess by surprise. It's going to be very dramatic. And lastly, for all those of you with sympathetic tear ducts, having a tissue handy might be good. This chapter is a bit of a tear jerker.

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The morning of the move started much earlier than Rory would have liked when her mother tackled her at four in the morning. She shot into a sitting position, waking Jess and dumping Lorelai into the floor next to the bed.

"What the hell? Mom? What are you doing?"

Jess sat up, leaned over Rory to look at Lorelai. "It is four in the morning, Lorelai, so can I assume that this is an emergency?"

Lorelai nodded, pulling herself to her feet. Her hair was standing on end, she was wearing a bright orange shirt dotted with bats and pumpkins and black pajama pants decorated with white cats and moons. Her entire outfit had obviously been left over from Halloween. "We haven't told the grandparents."

Rory's eyes widened as that reality set in. "We haven't told the grandparents. They're going to be so mad."

Jess rubbed his eyes. "What are you two talking about?"

Lorelai wedged herself onto the bed with Rory and Jess, very nearly in her daughter's lap. "Mom and Dad don't know about you being back and being with Rory and about Rory moving in with you. Rory, they'll think we've lost our minds and have us committed and take the baby when it's born and take the boys from Luke and never let us see our children." She stopped for a moment. "Well, I'll get to see one of my children because we will obviously be sharing a room with the padded white walls, but no offense, I want to see the boys too, and my grandchild. They'll take away my grandchild before I even get to see him or her."

Calmly, Jess reached over and clamped a hand over Lorelai's mouth. "Why should you have told them? They have no say in what you do."

Rory was looking panicked. "We have to tell them. If we don't tell them and they find out, which they will, they'll never talk to us again."

Lorelai perked up. "In that case, they don't need to know."

"Mom."

"What? Can you blame a girl for trying?"

"You and Grandma have been getting along better since we found out I'm pregnant."

"But we will never get along well, Rory, and never seeing one another would make us getting along better so much better."

"They have to be told. Are they picking up the boys in the morning, or are we going over there?"

"We're dropping them off on the way to New York because Luke and I are spending a few days up there moving you in."

Jess's eyebrows met his hair. "You're what?"

"Staying for a few days. Luke, and Paul Anka and I. We've been planning it ever since Rory decided to move to New York. And speaking of New York, Rory, we really need to cancel your lease."

"I did that yesterday, Mom. Okay, so we'll spend an hour or two arguing with the grandparents tomorrow before we go to New York and by the time they bring the boys up next week to see the new place and be at my house warming party, they'll be over it and ready to accept the situation."

Lorelai nodded, squirming down beneath the covers. "Sounds like a plan to me." She wrapped her arms around Rory, closed her eyes. "Night, baby."

Completely at ease with the situation, Rory snuggled into her mother's arms. "Night Mom."

Jess looked at the duo, rolled his eyes and headed to the living room and the couch.

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Rory knocked on the door to the Gilmore house at eight thirty the next morning, right on time. Lorelai had dragged her feet to no end after being forced out of bed at six thirty, but they were not one second late when Emily opened the door.

"Rory, Lorelai, right on time, what a pleasant surprise. Hello, Luke. I see the boys are still asleep, so you can go ahead and take them upstairs. And who's this?"

Rory took a deep breath. "You remember Jess, Grandma. He came to dinner with me at the house a few years ago, while I was in high school."

Emily's eyes narrowed slightly as she searched her memory. "The boy with the black eye! What in heavens is he doing here?"

"Actually, Mom, we need to talk to you about this. Is Dad around? We'd like to talk to him too."

Emily nodded coolly. "I'll fetch him then. Take a seat. Lorelai, you know where the coffee tray is, and Luke, go put those boys to bed."

Rory collapsed onto the couch gratefully, yanking Jess down next to her. "Mom, coffee, please."

Lorelai walked to the coffee tray, poured two cups. "Jess, coffee?"

"I don't drink coffee."

"Tea, water, juice, milk?"

"Water, but I'll get it, thanks."

Lorelai poured a glass of water and handed it to Jess. "No problem." She handed Rory a cup of coffee, sat down on the loveseat with her own. "Any idea how you want to go about this?"

Richard walked into the room, sat down in his chair. "Any idea how to go about what?"

Emily perched on another chair. "Yes, Lorelai, about what?"

Lorelai said the first thing that came to mind. "About geese."

Richard's eyebrows drew together in obvious confusion. "About geese?"

Rory shook her head. '''No Grandpa, not about geese. You know how Mom gets when she's nervous about talking to you about something. But first, Grandpa, I want to introduce you to Jess Mariano. He and I dated during high school, and he recently decided to move from California to New York and came to my graduation a few days ago."

Emily leaned forward. "Yes, Richard, he came to the house for dinner once, while you were out of town, and had a black eye when he arrived. He also left during the middle of dinner and then ran off to California without ever telling Rory goodbye."

Jess cleared his throat. "Mr. Gilmore, I realize how all of this sounds, but I'd like to explain my behavior."

Richard nodded, folding his hands on his knees. "Of course. Please, explain that."

"When I was here several years ago, Mrs. Gilmore assumed that I got the black eye during a fight of some sort, when in reality I got hit in the eye by an angry swan."

Before anyone could say anything, Luke spoke. "It's true, Richard. He got pecked in the eye by a swan. He was too embarrassed to tell anyone but me. Even Rory didn't know for a long time."

Richard nodded, accepting the explanation. "And seeing as I've been married to Emily for forty years, I know that she can, at times, be abrasive. All right, tell me about leaving without a word to my granddaughter. And as soon as you're done with that, we'll continue on as to why you're here right now."

Jess sighed, relieved. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have been bothered with trying to earn the approval of the elder Gilmores, but it was important to Rory, and he would have done absolutely anything to make her happy.

"I left Rory our senior year of high school for many reasons, none of which was a problem with her or with our relationship. I left because I was failing my senior year of high school. I didn't go to classes, I didn't take any tests, and I didn't turn in any assignments. My father came to Stars Hollow to see me, and I hadn't seen him since I was a baby. I was confused, and couldn't find my way up, so I left. It was irresponsible, and immature, but I couldn't think of anything else to do. I made a mistake, and I'm sorry for it, but I'm here now, and I'm trying to make up for it."

Emily sneered. "Did you ever finish high school?"

"I did. I also went to college, and finished my degree in business and management a couple weeks ago. I have a job working as a talent scout for a record label in New York."

Richard let out a low whistle. "That's quite a turn around, young man. You should be proud of yourself. All right, what's going on now?"

Rory took over again. "Jess and I are back together. He came to my graduation, and we talked everything out. He knows about Logan, and the baby, and the situation that I'm in, and he doesn't care. We're back together, and he's going to help me raise the baby, and we're moving in together."

Emily stood and walked to the drink stand that stood in the corner of the room, poured a glass of scotch. "Are you all out of your minds!" she demanded, slamming the glass down. "Rory, you're pregnant with Logan Huntzberger's baby. Not only did you not give him a chance to make things right and remedy his mistake by marrying you, you're not going to tell him you're pregnant, and now you're moving in with a boy who left you high and dry five years ago and suddenly reappeared in the picture and no one seems to find anything wrong with this! You all have to be out of your minds!"

Richard coughed. "Emily, please."

"No, Richard. I want to understand this. Please, Rory, explain to me why Logan isn't good enough, when he has a college degree in Finance and Accounting, can travel the world on a whim, has a good, solid career, can provide for you and your family and comes from a good family, and this hooligan is good enough. Explain it to me. I'm dying to understand."

Rory felt tears well. When everything had happened with Logan, she and Lorelai had told Richard about the rape, but had chosen not to tell Emily. "Grandma, I'm going to ask you to just accept this and not ask me questions you don't want to know the answer to."

Emily shook her head, and Richard dropped his head into his hands. "No, I won't just accept this and sit back and let you ruin your life. Explain it to me, Rory, and explain it to me now." When Rory didn't speak, Emily, stalked back to the chair, sat down, and crossed her legs. "I'm waiting for you to answer me, Rory." She waited another few seconds. "Rory! I want you to answer me right this second, are you understanding this!"

Richard surged to his feet. "For God's sake, Emily, lay off!"

"He raped me!" Rory screamed it, burying her face in her hands. "Is that what you want to know, Grandma! Logan got drunk, he came home, and he raped me! That's why I won't marry him! That's why he isn't good enough! He got me pregnant because he got drunk and he got mean, and he forced me to have sex with him! He hurt me and bruised me and I had to go to the hospital while he got on a plane for Europe!"

Emily's hand flew to her heart while Lorelai gathered Rory close, and rocked her daughter back and forth. Richard stood and glared at his wife. "Are you happy, Emily?"

Emily gasped for breath, tears forming in her eyes. "My God, Rory, why didn't you tell me?" she got up and ran upstairs. Seconds later, the door to her bedroom slammed shut and she sank to the floor, sobbing. Downstairs, her daughter and granddaughter were doing the same. And Emily had a feeling she'd finally managed to drive her family away for good.


End file.
